Have you ever thought of going online someday and striking up a conversation with someone you knew entirely nothing about?
Well, with Omegle, that’s more than reality.
Omegle is a social messaging platform founded in 2009, by a then 18-year-old teenager.
What would you think of a social media created by a teenager?
Of course, it is strange.
Omegle empowers you to connect with someone you had no prior knowledge of. In definitive terms, Omegle is simply a messaging platform where you can start random communication with total strangers.
Using Omegle can be fun, as it is always adventurous to chat up a stranger. Some behave normal, some are simply abnormal and others are people with some bad intentions.
Omegle has been out there for more than a decade and it has grown popularity among youths and adults alike.
As an Omegle user, you don’t have to submit any emails or passwords. All you have to do is to enter their website address and find a stranger willing to chat. Since no personal information is required, scammers and internet fraudsters marked the platform as a flashpoint for their fraudulent activities.
To avoid falling victim to these fraudulent activities, it’s important to fully understand how Omegle works and how the bad-users try to misuse the platform.
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What is Omegle, Really?
If the creator’s description was anything to go by, Omegle can be described as “a great way to meet new friends.”
However, due to how Omegle works, Omegle can’t be described as an ordinary way to meet new friends, not to talk in a great way.
Omegle is accessible either through the official website at Omegle.com. Otherwise, you can download the iOS app if you’ve got an iPhone. However, it has gotten no Android apps.
The Omegle interface cannot be nominated for any design awards, because it is not enormously designed. What’s there to design on such a website?
Who can use Omegle?
Omegle is not blocked out to anyone. The basic requirements for starting a conversation on Omegle include an internet connection, a JavaScript supported browser and being of age.
Omegle is open to users above 13 years. However, users less than 18 are advised to use the platform with parental guidance as the Omegle platform has been hijacked by scammers, hackers, and spambots.
How to Use Omegle
When you type in the URL into your browser, you get to their interface where you are prompted to select if you would prefer a text or video chat. To start chatting on the platform, you have to click the button indicating that.
Once you do the above, you’re instantly connected to a stranger somewhere else in the world. You have no control over what type of person you’re connected with, and you’re not given a list of people for you to choose from.
Other Features
Apart from random video and text chat, Omegle also features some exciting features you may want to try out.
For example, there is a spy mode. The spy mode involves a third user dropping a topic then two other users debate on the topic.
There is also the college students’ chat, which requires you verifying you’re a college student before you’re allowed to participate. The verification involves dropping and verifying a “.edu” email address from your college. Simply, you need a .edu email client to qualify for the Omegle college students chat.
To reduce the rate at which you connect with total strangers who may not even speak your language, Omegle allows users to add interests. When you’ve added your interests, you’ll only be paired with users with similar interests.
Lastly, is the unmoderated adult video section. It’s very easy to come across adult content in this section which calls for user discretion.
Safe Omegle Tips
Omegle is such a great place to start new conversations, but I can’t guarantee you any new friends. Due to the randomness of the platform, the rate of meeting with a bot, scammer or someone looking for a sexy partner is alarmingly high.
How then do you chat on Omegle safely which keeping away from these unwanted users?
1. Add Interests
If you’d like to chat with humans on Omegle, you have to add interests. Adding basic interests like “singing”, “dancing”, “eating” or “writing” could go a long way in keeping scammers away.
To add your interests, input them into the textbox under “What do you wanna talk about?”
2. Insist on text chats
As already stated, many Omegle users are looking for an online sex mate. These people would always prefer to chat in a video so they can ask to see nudes. While on a video chat, when the chatter on the other end starts misbehaving, remember…
3. Disconnect takes two clicks at most
Omegle made the ability to disconnect extremely simple. For this, you have no excuse to be cyber-bullied.
To exit a chat, click stop and confirm to be sure. Omegle has over 200,000 daily active users, finding one to connect to shouldn’t be problematic.
4. Don’t reply ASL
Very important because that’s the “horny users” slogan. It means “age, sex and location”. Replying to this message means you’re interested in catching fun with them.
Conclusion
Omegle is a great stranger-messaging platform. However, strangers can be dangerous at times. To effectively communicate enjoyably on this unusual platform, it’s important to filter the dangerous strangers. A good read through this article will show you how.
